A/N- Bet you all thought I was dead didn't ya? Well I'm not… to some people's chagrin, and here it is the next chapter. This took me forever to write(if you hadn't noticed) and I gotta thank everyone who helped with ideas like, gottoluvanime and Vanessa Riverton… but mostly… Haruka-chan 212. Cause without her proofreading and ideas and everything in general... well this would just suck and probably never get done. So thanks. Ok… on with the drama!

Family Life Ch 4

The sun crept through the window and illuminated two very tired faces. Haruka and Michiru were lying in they're bed and both we're wide awake in each others arms. Neither had slept with the impending confrontation that awaited them later that day. Haruka was the first to break the silence.

"Did you get any sleep at all?" Michiru shook her head in response.

"I couldn't stop thinking about what my parents might say… I'm scared Ruka." She buried her face into the crook of Haruka's neck. Haruka sighed and kissed her forehead while stroking her aqua locks.

"I know you are, but whatever happens… you know that I love you and I'm always here for you." Michiru looked up and smiled weakly at her lover.

"I know… Thank you Ruka." Their lips met in a soft kiss, but it was soon interrupted by a knock on the door and then it opening to reveal a bright eyed Hotaru.

"Michiru-mama I'm hungry." Whined the child as she pounced onto the end of the bed, crawling in between her parents. Michiru laughed at the violet eyed girl's puppy dog eyes.

"Alright then Hotaru, let's go make some breakfast." Michiru threw the covers off herself while Hotaru jumped from the bed and they both went downstairs to the kitchen.

Haruka sat on the edge of the bed thinking for a few minutes before finally getting up and taking a shower. Once she was finished she went and joined her family at the breakfast table. Michiru placed a plate with some eggs on it in front of her.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome." Michiru replied as she went to make a plate for herself. When she turned around from the stove she gasped and was startled to find Haruka standing right next to her. "God Haruka you scared me." Haruka took the plate from her hand and set it down on the counter.

"We need to talk for a minute." Michiru eyed Haruka questioningly, but nodded her head and let Haruka lead her from the kitchen into the living room. "What about Hotaru?" Again all Michiru could do was stare at Haruka. "Do you think it's a good idea that she be here when your parents come?" Michiru understood what Haruka was concerned about now.

She hadn't mentioned that she had a daughter to her parents. Everything had happened so fast and she had been so confused about what to tell that that she hadn't even thought about mentioning Hotaru to them. She kicked herself mentally for forgetting about the second most important girl in her life.

"I don't know." She answered honestly. "I didn't really think about that."

"I figured as much. To be honest I think that we should ask Arian if she'll watch her this afternoon. We don't' really know what to expect from your parents and having her here might complicate things more." Michiru nodded. "Also if… and I'm saying if because we have to be prepared for the worst… if there's an argument, then I don't think she should be around to hear that."

"You're right… We should call Arian." Haruka smiled weakly at her.

"I'll go call her now and see if she's available." Haruka kissed Michiru on the cheek and then went upstairs to her office. After sitting down at the desk she dialed the familiar number and after 3 rings Arian's chipper voice answered.

"Moshi Moshi."

"Arian I need a favour."

"Why am I not surprised? What do you need Haru-Chan?"

"Can you watch Hotaru today?"

"Ummm yeah sure, I guess. When?"

"As soon as possible actually. Michiru and I would like it if she wasn't here when her parents show up."

"That's probably not a bad idea. Ok well I guess I can be there in about an hour."

"Thank you Arian. I really appreciate this."

"Not a problem. By the way I'm glad to see that you sorted things out with Michiru."

"What? How did you know we had a fight?"

"She called last night, or I guess I should say this morning. She was worried about you and she told me what she said that had upset you. She was a mess Haruka and she clearly regretted her words."

"Yeah I know… and I guess I over reacted a little because I know she's stressed and worried, but her words hit me kind of hard. We talked and we're fine now."

"I'm glad to hear. Anyways I guess I should get going so I can pick up little Hotaru. See you soon Haruka."

"Yeah see you soon Arian. Thank you."

Haruka hung up the phone and headed back downstairs where she was pounced upon by Hotaru, who clung to her legs.

"Haruka papa do I get to spend the day with Auntie Arian?" Haruka chuckled as she lifted Hotaru in her arms.

"Yes you do Hime-Chan. Your Michiru-mama and I have some things to take care of so Auntie Arian said she would look after you." Hotaru squealed in excitement. She really did love Arian.

"Is Auntie Riska going to be there to? I like her."

"I don't know Hotaru, but you can ask Auntie Arian when she gets here alright. Now go and brush your teeth." Haruka said as she placed the child on the floor. As soon as Hotaru's feet touched the floor she ran up the stairs. Haruka then turned to Michiru who had been leaning against the wall watching. "Arian said she'd be here in about an hour." Michiru looked at the clock on the wall that read 11am.

"I just hope she gets here before my parents do." Michiru hung her head and sighed, before she felt a pair of warm arms wrap around her. She hugged Haruka back and after a few minutes they went about tidying up the place. Not that the almost immaculate home needed it, but it gave them something to occupy themselves with.

Around 1pm Haruka was pacing back and forth in the living room while Michiru and Hotaru sat on the couch.

"Where is she?" Haruka questioned as she stopped her pacing to glance up at the clock. At that point the sound of the doorbell cut through the room. "Finally!" Haruka went to the front door and opened it expecting to see Arian, but found herself face to face with Michiru's parents. Haruka stood there dumbfounded for a moment, but soon found her voice. "Kaiou san, Kaiou san." She bowed to them and stepped out of the way so they could enter. At that point she was joined by Michiru.

"Mother, Father. Welcome to our home." She said as she bowed. Michiru's mother stepped forward and pulled her daughter into a hug.

"Oh Michiru you have such a lovely home."

"Yes. I suppose that's probably because of Tenoh-san here. I bet you make quite the killing with all those races that you win."

"Well I do, but both Michiru and I share the financial responsibilities of everything here. She's put just as much into this place as I have. She too makes a substantial amount from her music. She's a brilliant violinist." Haruka smiled over at Michiru. Michiru smiled back at Haruka, thankful that she had strengthened her independence in front of her parents.

"Yes she always was very talented." Michiru's mother beamed at her.

"Well why don't you both come in and sit down." Michiru motioned them both to follow her into the living room, with Haruka taking up the rear. As soon as they entered they saw Hotaru who was still sitting on the couch.

"And who is this young lady?" Yuuka asked as she stared into shy violet eyes. Michiru and Haruka both looked at the couch having forgotten that Hotaru was still there. They looked at each other briefly before Michiru spoke up.

"Um, Mother, Father… this is Hotaru. She's our adoptive daughter." There was a silence that filled the room as the information sank in. Then Yuuka spoke up again.

"So we have a grandchild?"

"Mi-Chan you've kept so much from us." Hiro said as he looked at the child. "Now come on you have to tell us everything like how you two ended up adopting a child and not just having one of your own… when you're married of course."

"Yes it seems that all of this happened so fast." Yuuka commented as she sat down on the small couch with her husband. Haruka and Michiru sat on the couch with Hotaru and immediately Hotaru curled up next to Haruka, a little wary and shy of the new comers. Michiru then began to tell them the story of how Hotaru became part of their family while Haruka mentally cursed Arian.

"And that's how we ended up adopting little Hotaru here." Michiru smiled and watched as the young child snuggled into the crook of the blonde's arm.

2 o'clock rolled around and Haruka found herself glancing above the mantel at the clock on the wall. She was going to force Arian to tie her own noose if she didn't show up soon.

"Is something bothering you Tenoh-san, you seem to be looking at the clock a lot." Hiro asked.

"A close friend of ours was suppose to come and pick up little Hotaru about 2 hours ago. I'm just a little worried is all." She found herself quickly lying. She wasn't worried about Arian at all; she was more concerned over what would happen if something slipped from their innocent daughter who wouldn't know any better. Suddenly they could all hear the front door open and hurried footsteps.

"Haru-chan, I'm so, so, so sorry I'm late. You see Riska called and she said she wanted to go to the movies tonight and out to eat and then well…anyway…I got so caught up in the phone call that I lost track of time. And when I finally realized what time it was I screamed and rushed over here. I love Riska and all, but she takes up too much of my time. Oh…hi…" She froze when she came around the corner and saw her two best friends as well as two older people sitting in the living room.

"Chan?" Yuuka looked up at the woman in the doorway, then across the table to Haruka. "Did you just call this young gentleman Chan?"

"Yes…I mean no. No I didn't call her Chan." Haruka slapped her forehead and closed her eyes, silently waiting for the explosion to occur.

"Honey, I think you should go with Auntie Arian now…" Haruka instructed her daughter who happily obliged and pulled Arian from the living room. "…before I kill her." She mumbled. The two left the room and then the house. No one spoke as they listened to the car pull out of the driveway. Haruka turned her attention which had been on the door, to Michiru's parents.

They were both sitting there, eyeing her intensely… scrutinizing her with cold eyes.

"You're… a woman." Hiro ask in a low voice.

Haruka looked over to Michiru and squeezed her hand that she was now holding.

"Yes… I am." Silence once again engulfed them until Yuuka spoke up.

"How could you?" She asked in a voice that was laced in disgust. "How could you do this to us Michiru?" Michiru looked her mother in the eyes and saw the tears that mirrored hers, except that Yuuka's were of shame and disappointment.

"Mother… I."

"How could you disgrace us like this? And you…" Yuuka turned her cold eyes to Haruka. "How dare you trick us? How dare you fool the world into believing you're a man and tricking our daughter into this… this… whatever this is." She finished with a dismissive wave of her hand.

"The world sees what it wants to. Just because I don't correct people's assumptions does not mean I tricked them." Haruka said in a very controlled voice.

"By dressing that way and looking the way you do it's impossible not to think you're a man. Clearly you do it to corrupt young women into your filthy way of life and take roles meant for men."

"I dress and look this way because I am more comfortable as such. I have no intent of deceiving anybody."

"Then why does the racing world not know you're female." Haruka clenched her jaw at this. It was true that she never confirmed nor denied her gender… but when it came to racing she was more ambiguous because while there were no rules against female racers it was much harder for them and sponsorship did not come easy.

"As I said before… they see what they want to see. I have never lied to anyone when asked if I am a woman. But why should I have to announce it? Why does it matter?"

"Because you know that all your sponsors would flee if they found out their star racer was a woman… and a dyke at that." Spat Hiro. Michiru squeezed Haruka's hand as she felt the blond tense up at every word.

"Father, Haruka is the best racer in Japan and all of her crew knows everything and they still back her up one hundred percent."

"That's her crew… all they want is a job and to win. If people knew a lesbian was racing they would want her out and all the sponsors would back down not wanting to touch… this… thing." At these words Haruka was on her feet, staring daggers at the man who now stood at the same height as Haruka. In an instant Michiru was up too and had stepped between her father and Haruka.

"Haruka, Father please stop this. There's no reason for…" Before Michiru could finish her sentence Hiro's hand had connected with her cheek. Haruka tried to attack him, but Michiru held her back.

"Ruka please… don't." She whispered as she placed her hands on Haruka's chest to stop her from moving forward. Haruka could only see red. She wanted nothing more then to beat this man to within an inch of death, but she stopped herself for Michiru's sake.

"You're no better then her." Hiro said as he glared at Michiru who had turned around to face him. "How could you disgrace your family like this? If you ever want to be a part of this family again… you'll leave her and come with us to marry a nice wealthy young man."

"I love Haruka." Michiru said through choked sobs as tears ran down her face. "I love her with all my heart and there is no one who loves me more then her." Michiru hung her head as she thought about her next words. "I would rather be with Haruka… then have parents who can't be happy that I'm happy… just because it's with another woman." She looked up at her parents. They stared at each other until Hiro again raised his hand to slap Michiru who flinched away. The blow never came though. When Michiru opened her eyes she saw that Haruka was in front of her and was holding her fathers wrist.

"Don't you ever hit her… or you'll regret it." Haruka hissed as she released his hand. Hiro rubbed his now red wrist.

"Come on Yuuka… we're leaving."

"A wise decision." Haruka said as she watched them walk towards the door. Before they walked out Hiro turned around again.

"Don't think this is over Tenoh. If Michiru doesn't agree to leave you then I swear the whole world will know everything and you'll be left with nothing." The door slammed behind him as he left.

Haruka stared at the door fuming for a few minutes before turning to the sound of crying. She saw that Michiru was seated again crying into her hands. Soon Haruka had her in her arms and was holding her tightly.

"I'm so sorry Ruka, I'm so sorry." Michiru cried into Haruka's shoulder.

"Don't be. It's not your fault. And how could I be mad?" Haruka lifted Michiru's chin so she was looking at her and gave a soft smile. "You chose me after all." She kissed Michiru who weakly returned the smile.

"Of course I chose you. You're the most important person in my life… but now my father is going to ruin you're career." Michiru said as she rested her head on Haruka's chest again.

"Let him try. I'll get through this."

"No… we'll get through this… together." They sat in silence a few minutes before Haruka spoke again.

"I am going to kick Arian's ass when I see her." Michiru just giggled and kissed Haruka.

A/N-Well what will happen next? Is Haruka's Career in jeopardy? Will Michi ever be able to speak to her parents again? And will Haruka really kick Arian's ass? To find out you have to review so go on… get going…hit that button… make me happy. ;)